In Jo Davidson's 1923 statue of Gertrude Stein, I found a profound embodiment of calm and presence. Housed in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., this sculpture captured not only Stein’s likeness but also a sense of her spirit—a steadfast presence in the Parisian art world, revered almost with a sense of mysticism. Seeing it in person, I was struck by her quiet strength. Davidson, deeply connected to the creative circles of Paris, sculpted her with a grounded serenity that evokes the image of a modern Buddha.
Stein sits with her hands resting calmly in front, her eyes lowered, as if in deep contemplation. The simplicity of her posture invites a timeless stillness, an impression of Stein as an intellectual anchor amid the frenetic experimentation of modernism. Her pose is understated, yet it radiates a sense of stability, echoing her role as a central figure around whom artists, writers, and thinkers once gathered.
Standing before this statue, I felt an unexpected immediacy and connection. Davidson’s work felt almost alive, as though Stein herself were present, embodying a stillness that paradoxically seemed to hum with energy. This representation, immobile and grounded, offered a glimpse into Stein’s enduring influence—a figure who remains both tangible and timeless. The modern Buddha, captured in stone, invites us to pause, reflect, and feel the quiet force of her legacy.
***
Study Nature
By Gertrude Stein
I do.
Victim.
Sales
Met
Wipe
Her
Less.
Was a disappointment
We say it.
Study nature.
Or
Who
Towering.
Mispronounced
Spelling.
She
Was
Astonishing
To
No
One
For
Fun
Study from nature.
I
Am
Pleased
Thoroughly
I
Am
Thoroughly
Pleased.
By.
It.
It is very likely.
They said so.
Oh.
I want.
To do.
What
Is
Later
To
Be
Refined.
By
Turning.
Of turning around.
I will wait.